This recipe is a BLAST from my past. And a very important one!
My cheffing journey started 8 years ago when I landed a waitress/shop assistant job at Jamie Olivers ‘Recipease’ in Notting Hill. Yes, a waitress AND a shop assistant. This place was like a Jamie Oliver emporium. On the ground floor, a shop selling Jamie Oliver products, books, local produce and ready meals ‘to go’ made in house. And on the top floor a Café/ Restaurant. And smack bang in the middle of both floors were the giant ‘learn stations’ where people would book spaces on the many cooking classes! (But more on that later)
That year the managers decided to hold a ‘baking competition’ amongst the staff. Anyone and everyone included. So, I thought to myself ‘well why not!’
Back to my little kitchen in the flat I go and try to think of something magical. It was a hot summer, and I was really feeling the cocktails that year! I wanted something a little different than the lemon drizzles etc of the cake world, But I love the delicious juiciness of a lemon drizzle with the syrup seeping through the sponge. This recipe uses that same method but with a rum and lime twist to give it an extra kick!
But what to do for the icing! I am a big fan of a cream cheese icing. I like the slight savoury notes to cut through all that sweet, and this one was inspired by the icing on my favourite carrot cake recipe (would you like that one too?) There is also a sneaky added extra ingredient to top these off that really make them POP!
Well, the good news is that my cake WON! Much too the disappointment of a few of the chefs that had even put two cakes into the mix. And before I know it my cake was being sold to the public. It would appear I was pretty good in the kitchen and look at me now!
If you enjoyed this recipe then please let us know! And if you make it then feel free to tag us in any photo’s!